


treasure (that is what you are)

by JaeRianL



Series: agents of fluff 2020 [13]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awesome Melinda May, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Gen, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Parent Melinda May, Pet Names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:06:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27657923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaeRianL/pseuds/JaeRianL
Summary: It seems to be a phenomenon that affects every single child in the world. The moment their parents utter the phrase “It’s time for bed!” (or words to that effect) their children suddenly become inundated with hundreds of unanswered questions that can only be answered now, before they fall asleep. And despite Melinda’s hopes and wishes, knowing how terrible Daisy had been with asking questions when she was a child, Robin is just as bad, if not worse than her sister when it comes to asking the ‘essential’ questions at the most convenient times.
Relationships: Robin Hinton & Melinda May
Series: agents of fluff 2020 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020175
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10
Collections: Agents of Fluff 2020





	treasure (that is what you are)

**Author's Note:**

> This crosses off the squares Mayrobin & Pet Names on the fluff bingo cards!

It seems to be a phenomenon that affects every single child in the world. The moment their parents utter the phrase “It’s time for bed!” (or words to that effect) their children suddenly become inundated with hundreds of unanswered questions that can only be answered now, before they fall asleep. And despite Melinda’s hopes and wishes, knowing how terrible Daisy had been with asking questions when she was a child, Robin is just as bad, if not worse than her sister when it comes to asking the ‘essential’ questions at the most convenient times.

“Mom, why do you call me that?” Robin asks, peeking up over the covers Mel had safely tucked her under.

“Call you what bǎo bèi?” She asks, racking her brains for anything she’d said which deviated from the norm.

“That! Bǎo bèi! I told Savannah that’s what you call me and she said it was weird, that it’s not even English! It’s not weird, is it Mom?”

Forcing herself not to scowl at the blatant racism coming from her daughter’s classmate, Melinda gently smooths her hand over Robin’s soft hair, brushing the stray strands away from her face. Gently, she explains that because her family are from Macau, a Chinese island, she knows how to speak Mandarin and Cantonese, and that bǎo bèi is a term of endearment not unlike when her friends’ parents call them sweetheart, or honey. She follows it up by stating that what her classmate said wasn’t okay, and just because something seems out of the ordinary, it doesn’t mean it should be insulted or made fun of, smiling when Robin perks up by adding a remark about how her mom had said the same thing when they’d discussed Daisy, Jemma and Leo’s relationship. 

The discussion on her mother’s heritage, as well as the realisation that what her friend had said really wasn’t nice, sparks up hundreds of follow up questions, Robin now desperate to find out everything she can about her mother. But before she can even open her mouth to ask, her mom manages to stop her, telling her that she has the time to ask three more questions, and three alone. If Robin hadn’t already thought her mom was psychic, this right here had to be proof of it. Clinging tightly to her two favourite stuffed toys, Ducky and Spotty the Giraffe, she weighs up the different lines of questioning she could take, her mom smiling widely at her very serious thinking face. 

“Okay. First question, why don’t I know any Mandarin, or Cantonese?”

“Oh, well, when you were younger, you had only ever heard English before, and I didn’t want to confuse you, especially because you didn’t speak that much when you came to live with me. But if you want to, I can start to teach you some.”

Robin mulls over the suggestion for a minute, before nodding happily, squeezing her toys close to her chest.

“Number two, how do the stars stay so bright in the sky?” She asks, evoking a cheerful laugh from her mom for some reason.

“I do not know bǎo bèi, how about you ask Leo or Jemma when they come over on Friday?”

Nodding, she snuggles down further in bed, feeling the tiredness seeping into her body, pulling Spotty and Ducky as close as she can. “Third question, what does bǎo bèi mean?”

“It means treasure, because you are one of my greatest treasures.”

Smiling sleepily at her mom, she closes her eyes, grinning as she feels her mom press a kiss to her forehead. Robin hears her mom moving around her room, and she hangs by the door for a moment, waiting to see if Robin says anything else.

“You know mom, you’re my bǎo bèi too.” The blonde girl mutters sleepily, turning to face her wall to sleep, completely missing Melinda wiping at her face to stop the oncoming tears of happiness from falling.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! Let me know what you thought & come find me on [ Tumblr](https://acetoshikosato.tumblr.com/)! Thanks for reading!!
> 
> Jae <3


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